Chair arm table



INVENTOR.

RQZZJ HTTORNFK N REID CHAIR ARM TABLE Flled March 5, 1947 Marc1 21, 1950 Patented Mar. 21, 1950 or:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHAIR ARM TABLE Nellie Reid, Ferndale, Mich. Application March 5, 1947, Serial No. 732,535

1 Claim. (Oren-.17)

This invention relates to a serving table, and more particularly to a serving table adapted to be secured to the arm of a chair or the like.

The principal objects of this invention are to provide an improved type table which can be detachably secured to the arm of a chair; to provide a table of the aforementioned type having chair arm gripping members pivotally connected thereto which can be swung into a storage position adjacent the underside of the table so as not to project downwardly from the table when not in use; to provide a table of the aforementioned type which can be used as an ordinary table adapted to be set on another table top if so desired; to provide such a table which is simple in construction, and inexpensive to manufacture.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the table of this invention secured to a chair arm;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the table illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, it will be seen that the serving table of this invention, generally indicated at 5, comprises a flat rectangular, conview taken along the ventional top portion 1 having an integral flange 9 extending around the outer periphery thereof, and depending therefrom. The table illustrated in the drawing is of a generally square shape, but as will readily appear, a table of any desired shape or size is within the purview of this invention.

Secured by means of screws 1 I to the underside of the top portion 7, and positioned adjacent each corner thereof, are four hanger elements or clips [3. Each hanger element I3 is formed with a loop portion IS in the center thereof adapted to pivotally receive an end portion of a chair arm gripping member presently to be described.

In order to retain the table 5 on the arm of a chair, a pair of oppositely disposed chair arm gripping members I! and I8 are provided. The gripping members are each preferably made of a single spring steel wire which is reversely looped in the center thereof to form a pair of parallel legs l9 and 2|. Each of the legs [9 and 2| are bent outwardly adjacent the free end thereof, at right angles, to provide a pivot arm 23' which passes through and is journaled in the loop portion of its respective hanger clip element l3, as man be seen in Fig. 2. The arm 23 of each leg 19 and 2|, after passing through the loop portion of its hanger, is return bent in spaced parallel relation to provide an arm 25 which is looped overthe top of the hanger element I 3. As can clearly be seen in the drawing, when each gripping .member is mounted in its respective hanger clip l3 it can be rotated from a horizontal position against the underside of the top portion 7, as shown by gripping member I8 in Fig. 2, to a downwardly extending position asshown by gripping member I? (in solid lines) in Fig. 2. When the gripping members i! and I8 are swung downwardly to a predetermined position, which is less than with respect to the table top portion, the arms 25 on the end of each of the legs I9 and 2| abut against the underside of the tray portion 1 and prevent any further downward rotation of the gripping members.

The stop arms 25 will prevent the gripping members from swinging downwardly any further than shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, which provide an opening between the lower ends thereof which is narrower than the width of the chair arm 21, which the members I! and [8 are to fit over and grip. However, due to the resiliency of the gripping members I! and I8, the lower ends thereof can be sprung outwardly to the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 1 and embrace the chair arm 21. It will thus be seen that the gripping members I! and I8 will resiliently grip the sides of the chair arm 21 and therefore will securely hold the tray 5 onto the chair arm.

When the gripping members I! and I8 are swung upwardly against the underside of the table portion '1 they will be encompassed by the flange 9 and therefore will be out of the way when it is desired to store the table or when it is desired to use the table in an ordinary manner such as to set it upon another table top or the like.

While only one particular embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that it is not to be restricted thereto and it is intended to cover all modifications thereof which will be apparent to one skilled in the art and which come within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A serving table adapted to be clamped on a chair arm, including a fiat top portion, a flange extending around the outer periphery of said top portion and depending below the under side of said top portion, oppositely disposed pairs of hanger elements secured to the under side of said top portion adjacent the opposite ends thereof and being entirely disposed between the under side of said top portion and the plane of the bottom edge of said flange, a pair of resilient chair arm gripping members formed from a continuous piece of resilient material and reversely looped in the center thereof to form parallel legs, the free ends of said parallel legs being bent outwardly at substantially ninety (90) degrees, and the said outwardly bent portions being pivotally mounted in said hanger elements adjacent opposite-ends; of said: top. portion, the free end of each of said journaied' portions being reversely bent over its respective hanger to form stop means adapted to abut the under side of said top portion for limiting the vertical position of each of said gripping members, each of said reversely bent portions being disposed in closeproximity to its respective hanger. and-.beingdisposed between the under side of said table top portion and the plane of the lower edge" ofsaid flange at all times, whereby said gripping memhere may be; pivotallyswung: to their generally vertioalpositionand the lower ends thereof resiliently stretched over said chair arm to grip the sides. thereof, and. whereby,- said gripping members may be positioned horizontally against the under side of saidtable top" portion so that the lower edge of said table top flange may be set upon a flat surface without the gripping embers or hanger elements interfering therewith-.- I

' NEIHE REID.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent. I

UNITED STAmES PATENTS Great. Britain Dec; 12,1929 

